Ron Livingston

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Ron Livingston
Ron Livingston at South by Southwest 2024
Born
Ronald Joseph Livingston

(1967-06-05) June 5, 1967 (age 56)
Alma materYale University
OccupationActor
Years active1992–present
Spouse
(m. 2009)
Children2

Ronald Joseph Livingston (born June 5, 1967)[1] is an American actor. He is best known for playing Peter Gibbons in the 1999 film Office Space and Captain Lewis Nixon III in the 2001 miniseries Band of Brothers. Livingston's other roles include the films Swingers (1996), Adaptation (2002), The Conjuring (2013); and the television series Loudermilk, and Boardwalk Empire, on which he appeared in the fourth season.

Early life[edit]

Livingston was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Kurt Livingston, an aerospace/electronics engineer, and Linda (née Rinas), a Lutheran pastor.[2][3][4] He has two brothers and one sister. His younger brother, John, is also an actor; while his sister, Jennifer Livingston, and brother-in-law, Mike Thompson, were TV news personalities at WKBT-DT in La Crosse, Wisconsin.[5]

Livingston attended Yale University, where he sang with The Whiffenpoofs and graduated in 1989, together with Anderson Cooper.[6][7]

Livingston first acted at Theatre Cedar Rapids after being introduced to the group during a school job shadowing.[8] Livingston moved to Chicago and became involved in the local theatre scene.[citation needed]

Career[edit]

Livingston's first film role was in 1992, in Dolly Parton's Straight Talk. He moved to Los Angeles and was cast in supporting roles in Some Folks Call it a Sling Blade and The Low Life. Livingston landed his first role in a major film in 1996's Swingers. He starred as the male lead, Peter Gibbons, in the comedy cult classic Office Space (1999), which co-starred Jennifer Aniston and was written and directed by Mike Judge. He also appeared in HBO's miniseries Band of Brothers (2001) as Captain Lewis Nixon III opposite Donnie Wahlberg and Damian Lewis. Livingston widened his variety of roles when he played a Hollywood agent in Adaptation (2002), a weaselly Ivy League upstart opposite Alec Baldwin's casino boss in The Cooler (2003) and teachers in Winter Solstice and Pretty Persuasion (both 2005). He also appeared as sardonic writer Jack Berger, Carrie's short-term boyfriend in the fifth and sixth seasons of Sex and the City. He guest-starred in the episode "TB or Not TB" of House. In 2006, he starred as FBI negotiator Matt Flannery in the Fox series Standoff, co-starring Rosemarie DeWitt, and he was an advertising spokesman for Sprint Nextel.

In summer 2007, Livingston appeared on the off-Broadway stage in the world premiere of Neil LaBute's In a Dark Dark House, produced by MCC Theater, with Frederick Weller and Louisa Krause. The show ran May–July at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in New York City. In November 2007, the indie film Holly told the story of a Vietnamese girl trafficked into the sex trade in Cambodia. Livingston starred as Patrick, a shady card shark who becomes determined to save Holly from her ill-destined fate.

In 2009, he portrayed flight engineer Maddux Donner in the series Defying Gravity, which was cancelled after its first season.[9]

In 2010, Livingston co-starred in the Jay Roach comedy Dinner for Schmucks.[10] On February 26, 2013, Entertainment Weekly confirmed that he would be joining the cast of HBO's Boardwalk Empire for the fourth season.[11]

In 2013, Livingston co-starred in the indie comedy Drinking Buddies alongside Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson and Anna Kendrick. Drinking Buddies received positive reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 82% based on 97 reviews.[12]

Livingston starred in the Peter Farrelly–produced comedy television series Loudermilk on the Audience network. Livingston played the title role of Sam Loudermilk, a former music critic and recovering alcoholic who works as a substance abuse counsellor and support group leader, and who regularly doles out clever but acid-tongued critiques to his clients, his friends, and random people he encounters. The show premiered in October 2017 and was renewed in April 2018 for a second season that premiered in October 2018. In December 2018, Audience renewed the series for a third season.[13] After Audience ceased operations, the third season premiered on Amazon Prime Video in 2020–21.[14][15]

Livingston also stars in the ABC drama A Million Little Things as Jon Dixon, whose suicide causes his group of friends to evaluate their own lives.[16]

Personal life[edit]

Livingston and his Standoff co-star Rosemarie DeWitt began a relationship after meeting on the show.[17] After dating for three years, they were married on November 2, 2009, in San Francisco.[18] He was previously engaged to actress Lisa Sheridan.[19]

In May 2013, Livingston and DeWitt announced they had adopted an infant girl born the previous month.[20] In December 2016, the couple announced they had adopted another child, a girl, who was born the previous year.[21][22]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1992 Straight Talk Soldier
1994 Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade Himself Short film
1995 The Low Life Chad
1996 Swingers Rob
1997 Campfire Tales Rick / RV Driver Segments: "The Honeymoon" and "The Campfire"
The Small Hours Steve
1999 Dill Scallion Ron Statlin
Office Space Peter
The Big Brass Ring Sheldon Buckle
Two Ninas Marty Sachs
Body Shots Trent
2000 Beat Allen Ginsberg
A Rumour of Angels Uncle Charlie
2002 Buying the Cow Tyler Carter Bellows
Adaptation. Marty Bowen
2003 Pirates Himself Short
The Cooler Larry Sokolov
44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out Donnie Anderson Television movie
2004 Little Black Book Derek
2005 Winter Solstice Mr. Bricker
Pretty Persuasion Mr. Anderson
The Life Coach Ron
2006 Life Happens Ben Dreamantowski Short film
Relative Strangers Richard Clayton
Holly Patrick
2007 Music Within Richard Pimentel
2008 American Crude Johnny
The Spleenectomy Dr. Bannister Short film
2009 The Time Traveler's Wife Gomez
2010 Dinner for Schmucks Caldwell
Going the Distance Will Broderick
2011 Leave Dr. Lieberman
10 Years Paul
2012 Queens of Country Rance McCoy
The Odd Life of Timothy Green Franklin Crudstaff
Game Change Mark Wallace Television movie
2013 Touchy Feely Adrian
Drinking Buddies Chris
The Pretty One Charles
The Conjuring Roger Perron Nominated – Fright Meter Award for Best Supporting Actor
The Sidekick Captain Wonder Short film
Parkland James Hosty
2014 Fort Bliss Richard
We Hate Paul Revere Paul Revere Television movie
2015 James White Ben
Addicted to Fresno Edwin
Vacation Ethan
Digging for Fire Bob
2016 The 5th Wave Oliver Sullivan
Shangri-La Suite Elvis
2017 Shimmer Lake Kyle Walker
Lucky Bobby Lawrence
Welcome to America Himself Short
2018 Tully Drew / husband
The Long Dumb Road Francois
The Professor Henry
The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot Flag Pin
2020 Holly Slept Over Peter
2021 The Tender Bar Future JR Voice
The Same Storm Jim Lamson / Ben's Dad
2022 The Estate James
2023 The Flash Henry Allen
Sitting in Bars with Cake Fred
The Featherweight Bob Kaplan
Key
Denotes works that have not yet been released

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1995 JAG Corporal David Anderson Episode: "Scimitar"
1996 Townies Kurt Pettiglio 2 episodes
1997 Timecop Eliot Ness Episode: "Public Enemy"
Players Jordan Episode: "Con Law"
1998 That's Life Mitch 6 episodes
2000 Then Came You Max Episode: "Then Came Cousin Aidan"
2001 Band of Brothers Lewis Nixon Miniseries; 10 episodes
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
2001–2002 The Practice A.D.A. Alan Lowe 8 episodes
2002–2003 Sex and the City Jack Berger 8 episodes
2005–2007 American Dad! Bob Memari Voice, 3 episodes
2005 House Dr. Sebastian Charles Episode: "TB or Not TB"
2006 Family Guy Video Store Clerk Voice, episode: "Stewie B. Goode"
Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King Howard Fornoy Episode: "The End of the Whole Mess"
2006–2007 Standoff Matt Flannery 18 episodes
2009 Defying Gravity Maddux Donner 1 season
WWII in HD Charles Scheffel Voice, 5 episodes
2011 Issues The Nothing
2013 Boardwalk Empire Roy Phillips 6 episodes
Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
2015 Adventure Time Morty Rogers Voice, episode: "Chips & Ice Cream"
Saints & Strangers John Carver Miniseries, 2 episodes
2016–2021 Search Party Keith 12 episodes
2017 Dice Sydney Stein 2 episodes
Kings of Con Lyle 1 episode
2017–2020 Loudermilk Sam Loudermilk lead role, 3 seasons
2018–2023 A Million Little Things Jonathan Dixon recurring role
2018 The Romanoffs Alex Myers Episode: "Bright and High Circle"
2021 Creepshow Mac Kamen Voice, episode: "The Things in Oakwood's Past"
2022–2023 Pantheon Dr. Peter Waxman Voice, 16 episodes

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Today in History". The Boston Globe. The Associated Press. June 5, 2012. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
  2. ^ "Iowa briefs (third item)". Telegraph - Herald (Dubuque). Associated Press. September 11, 2001. Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2013. [Ron] Livingston, 34, grew up in Marion where his parents, Kurt and Linda Livingston, still live. His route to Hollywood went from Marion High School to Yale, where he studied English and theater.
  3. ^ "'Practice' makes perfect : Ron Livingston joins top-rated ABC law team". The Washington Times. September 25, 2001. Retrieved October 25, 2013 – via Newsbank.(subscription required)
  4. ^ "Remembering Rinas - Marion Times - Online at". Mariontoday.org. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
  5. ^ "Married Wisconsin Anchors Leaving Station in May". adweek.it. March 18, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  6. ^ "Media Library - Yale Whiffenpoofs Alumni Association, Inc". www.whiffalumni.com. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  7. ^ "Ron Livingston Went to Yale with Anderson Cooper - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  8. ^ "Ron Livingston speaks about Theatre Cedar Rapids". YouTube. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
  9. ^ Lewinski, John (October 22, 2009). "Set visits reveal ghosts of Defying Gravity set destruction". TVSquad. Archived from the original on October 25, 2009. Retrieved October 22, 2009.
  10. ^ Siegel, Tatiana (October 25, 2009). "'Dinner' for Ron Livingston". Variety. Archived from the original on September 14, 2012. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  11. ^ Hibberd, James (February 26, 2013). "Ron Livingston joins 'Boardwalk Empire' season 4". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
  12. ^ "Drinking Buddies". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  13. ^ Haring, Bruce (July 27, 2018). "'Loudermilk' Second Season, East St. Louis Documentary Premiere Dates Set By AT&T Audience Network". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
  14. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 10, 2021). ""Loudermilk" Picked Up By Amazon's Prime Video, Including Unaired Season 3". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  15. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (April 27, 2021). "'Loudermilk' Season 3 Premieres Today On Amazon Prime Video – Update". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 29, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  16. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (July 27, 2018). "A Million Little Things' New ABC Drama Series Recasts Role". Deadline. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  17. ^ "Ron Livingston Gets Married". People. Archived from the original on November 15, 2009. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  18. ^ "Ron Livingston Marries Former Costar". Us Weekly. November 12, 2009. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  19. ^ Kappes, Serena (July 19, 2006). "Celeb Spotlight: Ron Livingston". People. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  20. ^ "Ron Livingston and Rosemarie DeWitt Welcome Daughter Gracie James". People. May 23, 2013. Retrieved November 24, 2019.Archived June 8, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ Juneau, Jen (December 15, 2016). "Rosemarie DeWitt Reveals She Welcomed a Daughter Through Adoption: 'She's a Little Sweetheart'". People. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  22. ^ Johnson, Zach (December 15, 2016). "Rosemarie DeWitt and Ron Livingston Adopt Daughter Esperanza Mae". E! News. Retrieved January 10, 2017.

External links[edit]